AVIATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 September 1927, Page 3

AVIATION.

(Australian Press Association & Sun. SIR KEITH SMITH IX N.Z. WELLINGTON, Sept. 4. Sir Keith Smith, the well-known airman arrived from England by the 'lainui to-day Sir Keith Smith considers any attempt to fly the Atlantic from the European side would always he more hazardous anti difficult than from the American coast, for the aviator would be flying into the wind instead of benefiting from it. His opinion was that the flight of Lindcnburg was unique. The startling thing about recent flights was the accuracy of navigation on tlit part of aviators.

Sir Keith hopes' to meet the Air Commission before sailing from New Zealand. He states that two airships are being built in England, one having a cruising range of 3000 miles with-

out the necessity for re-gassing or refuelling, and a speed of 74 miles per hour.

Commercial aviation, he adds, lias made great strides, and he is not surprised at the results of the scries of tests carried out by the Air Ministry on the subject of London defences, as it r K’'difficult to see how such a large area could be defended from really highly organised raids. It came to tho fact that all realised so well, that the aeroplane had ended the island slate. AMERICAN LADY WHO WANTS A “THRILL.” LONDON, Sept. .". An American lady, Mabel Roll, will accompany Levine on his Atlantic flight. “I am terribly thrilled,” she says. “I want, the thrill of being the Erst woman to fly the Atlantic.” LONDON, Kept. 0.

Miss Boil, the American, bedecked with jewel-; worth three thousand pounds, was all ready to' board .Mr Levine’s ‘aeroplane, and she burst into tears when she was told she could not he taken, mainly as the result of Hinchelifle’s objections, backed by the supervising mechanic's threat to ask the Air Ministry to cancel the certificate of airworthiness if Miss Roll was taken.

MISSING REDFKRN. VANCOUVER, Sept. .5. A message from New Orleans stales that the Norwegian steamer Christian Ivrogs, which arrived 1 there to-day, reported that it sighted Redfcrn’s .plane, Port of Brunswick, on August 2Gtb., when within IGo miles of the South American coast. Jle<lfern circled over the ship, and dropped live nates seeking for direction. He was last seen heading in the direction of the Venezuelan mainland. •

FLY TO WELLINGTON. BLENHEIM, Sent. 7. D.H. .10 piloted by Capt. Buckley left Blenheim this morning at 11.20 for Wellington. The weather was bright and calm and the visibility was good hilt hazy towards tho Strait. Captain MoncriefF of Wellington, F. Dix of ■Blenheim and C. A. MacDonald of the “Marlborough Express” were passengers. ANOTHER. ATLANTIC ATTEMPT. (Received this day at 9.30 a.in.) NEW YORK, Sept. 6. At Old Orchard. Maine, Lloyd Bertaud and J. I). Hill took off in a Fokker monoplane, Old Glory, for Rome, fn an attempt to break the long distance (light record.

LONDON. Kept. (i. Atlantic weather is unabated, with thirty mile hourly head winds. Irvine’s llight is postponed. Levine definitely Itol Miss 801 l she could not accompany,'them owing to her weight reducing 'lmateriullv the amount of mf" petrol that could he' carried.